One of 10 hospitals in the U.S. designated a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center
Holy Cross Hospital is one of only two hospitals in Florida to receive distinction as a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center (TSC), a new certification program from The Joint Commission.
Developed in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA), the certification identifies hospitals throughout the country that meet rigorous standards for performing endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), a specialized surgical procedure used to remove a blood clot from the brain of an ischemic stroke patient.
According to the American Stroke Association, 795,000 Americans suffered a stroke last year across the country and more than 140,000 died as a result. Of those patients, roughly 87 percent suffered an ischemic stroke caused by a clot that cuts off blood flow to a part of the brain. These types of strokes are largely treatable if a patient gets to a hospital that can provide the right treatment in time.
"This certification is recognition that Holy Cross is a regional and national leader when it comes to the early detection and treatment of large ischemic strokes," said Sheryl Strasser, MD, Medical Director of Holy Cross Stroke Service. "More and more, we are sending patients home with a good prognosis following a life-threatening stroke. The advancements we've made inside our stroke center are truly remarkable."
Holy Cross Hospital first received Joint Commission accreditation in 2003 as a primary stroke center and has been accredited every two years since. To achieve its newest designation, Holy Cross Hospital underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite survey during which a team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated compliance with standards related to care. In order to be eligible for certification, the hospital was required to meet strict guidelines that include performing endovascular thrombectomy on a minimum of 15 patients in the past year, or 30 patients in the past two years, and the capability to perform endovascular thrombectomy around the clock, seven days a week, along with monitoring and reporting quality, safety and outcome measures to the AHA/ASA. The hospital’s primary neurointerventionalists, the physicians who routinely perform emergency mechanical thrombectomy, are also required to meet the highest standards of subspecialty training. Other Holy Cross physicians treating these patients may include specialty trained neurologists, neuro-intensive care specialists, neurosurgeons, emergency physicians, physical medicine and rehab as well as various specialty trained therapists.
“At Holy Cross, we are proud to say that we are only one of ten hospitals in the nation and one of two in the state of Florida that is a recognized Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center,” said Dr. Patrick Taylor, president and CEO of HolyCross Hospital.
The Joint Commission launched the TSC program in January 2018. For more information on the TSC certification program, visit www.jointcommission.org.
About Holy Cross Hospital
A member of Trinity Health, Fort Lauderdale, FL-based Holy Cross Hospital is a full-service, non-profit, Catholic, teachinghospital operating in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy. Holy Cross Hospital has been named one of the top three hospitals of 64 in the Miami metro area and one of the top 10 in the state in U.S. News and World Report's 2017-2018 Best Hospitalrankings. Through strategic collaborations and a commitment to being a person-centered, transforming, healing presence, the 557-bed hospital offers progressive inpatient, outpatient and community outreach services and clinical research trials to serve as our community’s trusted health partner for life. To learn more about Holy Cross Hospital, visit holy-cross.com. Connect @holycrossfl.
About The Joint Commission
Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission atwww.jointcommission.org.
